Community-Academic Research Links

What is this about?

With a history of over 30 years, science shops have proven to be a regular part of the research strategy in several research institutes, and their numbers continue to grow. Science Shops are a service provided by research institutes for the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in their region (which can be grass roots groups, single issue temporary groups, but also well structured organisations - see FAQ for list of CSO type organisations). Research for the CSOs is carried out free of financial cost as much as possible. At many universities students are required to carry out research under staff supervision as part of their curriculum (i.e. for course credits, Bachelor-, Master-, or PhD-thesis’s) and oftentimes these projects can be on questions collected by the Science Shop. Since both student and faculty staff are acting as they should be, it is possible to offer this research service free of charge in many cases, provided the university can afford the overheads for the mediation and is not financially depended on commercial partners in student research projects. In other cases (including larger projects), a joint grant proposal may need to be submitted first. A final requirement is that the faculty staff supervising the project have expertise related to the question topic and display a willingness to carry out the research in partnership with the CSO.

The mission statement of science shops (by that or any another name) is: A science shop provides independent, participatory research support in response to concerns experienced by civil society. Science shops use the term 'science' in its broadest sense, incorporating social and human sciences, as well as natural, physical, engineering and technical sciences. Science shops seek to:

provide civil society with knowledge and skills through research and education; provide their services on an affordable basis; promote and support public access to and influence on science and technology; create equitable and supportive partnerships with civil society organisations; enhance understanding among policymakers and education and research institutions of the research and education needs of civil society, and enhance the transferrable skills and knowledge of students, community representatives and researchers (www.livingknowledge.org).

Science Shop and UCC

The Community - Academic Research Links initiative, based on the "Science Shop" model, was the first of its type to be established in the Republic of Ireland. We began our work in 2006 and started our first projects with community groups in September 2010. We are working within UCC on establishing a University-wide community based research approach with all four Colleges.